Page 7 of Strictly Business

Of course we do. This isn’t a brotherly check-in; this is about the CEO position. The position he’s been gunning for since our father passed. The position I now hold, much to his never-ending frustration.

“Dad wanted a leader to take over the company, not some… figurehead,” Alexander continues, his voice dripping with disdain. “He needs someone with experience. And I have that.”

“Experience throwing tantrums? Absolutely,” I reply, my tone as cold as the glass of scotch I’m already considering for later. My fingers tap against the desk, wanting this conversation to be over.

Alexander’s voice pitches higher, his frustration boiling over. “You’ve never even wanted this role. You know this was meant for me.”

“Yet, here I am,” I say, my voice clipped. “And here you are, calling to whine about it. If Dad thought it fit to put me in charge, perhaps it’s because he recognized something you still can’t grasp. Leadership isn’t about clocking hours or racking up years. It’s about vision, restraint, maturity—”

“Don’t lecture me,” Alexander snarls, cutting me off. “I’ve earned this.”

“Then act like it.” Silence stretches between us. “Do your job, Alexander, and leave me to do mine.”

I can almost hear him grinding his teeth through the phone. He hates being called out, hates it even more when he knows I’m right.

“Fine,” he bites out, his words like venom. “Enjoy your petty victory while it lasts.”

The line goes dead, and I set the phone down with more force than necessary, the sharp click echoing in the room, his words clinging to me.

You’ve never wanted this.

The irony is, I didn’t. Alexander was the one who obsessed over it since we were kids, groomed by my father to take over, which only made sense, seeing as he’s the oldest. But as the years went on, and Alexander became interested in… other endeavors, dad turned to me. Our father made his choice, and I’m determined to honor it, no matter how little support I get from Alexander.

“Wow,” Ethan scoffs from across the room, with a slow clap. “That was… heated. You two always this friendly, or is this a special occasion?”

I glare at him, but it only makes his grin widen. Ethan thrives on chaos, especially if he’s not the one in the middle of it.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I grit out, my focus locked on the screen in front of me. The endless to-do list stares back, a reminder that I don’t have time for Ethan’s nonsense today.

“Not really,” he replies, casually crossing his arms and sinking further into the chair. “But I’m happy to stick around for whatever you need. Moral support, commentary… think of it as a favor.”

“How generous of you,” I say dryly, swiveling my chair away from him toward the window and lift onto my feet.

“Kinda jealous of your office,” Ethan murmurs. “Ever have kinky sex in front of the windows?”

I glance at him over my shoulder, one brow arched. “Do you ever think of anything else?”

He shrugs, his lips quirking into a grin. “Not really. My mind’s a fun place.”

“I’ll bet,” I mutter, turning back to the view. The city stretches out before me, the Blackwood Hotel prominently visible in the skyline—a towering reminder of my father’s legacy. It’s my responsibility now, my name on the line. I should be focused on proving I deserve this.

But instead, my thoughts drift to her red-rimmed eyes.

Goddamnit. What the hell is wrong with me?

I run a hand through my hair, the tension knotting in my shoulders as I move to the bar. Grabbing a glass, I drop in two ice cubes and pour a finger of scotch.

“Jesus.” Ethan scoffs from behind me, his tone dripping with amusement. “Your brother must’ve really screwed you up if you’re day drinking.”

Brother. Right.

“You know what would help you blow off some steam?” he continues, his grin audible even before I turn around. I don’t need to hear the rest. I already know where this is going.

My jaw tightens as I face him. “Get me a fucking invite.”

Ethan’s grin spreads wider. He stands, pulling a keycard from his jacket pocket and holding it out to me. “Already got one right here.”

Chapter three

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